This paper dress evolved out my interest in what other people hold onto. Over 250 people contributed statements over the course of three months. The top “thing” that people hold onto, according to this very informal poll, is fear. I wonder what our world would be like if we all let go of fear.

Each let go paper was perforated below the words “let go” and attached to the skirt of a dress. The various “let go” statements were designed to be torn off the dress and left to the world, some of the papers were easy to tear off the skirt, others were more difficult. This is a reminder of how sometimes we need someone to help us let go, as well as that it is sometimes just really hard to let go…

The Let Go Dress and Statement Collection consists of over 250 written statements on letterpress printed strips of red French paper. Each strip of paper is perforated below the words “let go” and fused to the skirt of a dress.

The dress was conceived as a performance piece. The performer moved through the crowd at the opening of the event and invited viewers to help her “let go” of something by tearing it off the skirt and leaving it on the
ground. This selection is the second edition of the dress, complete with statements that will one day be torn off the dress and left to the world. (If chosen, the performance could happen at the opening of the exhibit.)

After the initial performance the objects that needed to be “let go” of were collected and contained in a clamshell box. Also contained in the box are additional “let go” papers for viewers to complete for future versions of the dress.